There are two main processes for making alcoholic beverages - fermentation and distillation. Fermentation involves yeast acting on sugars to produce alcohol, and results in beers, wines, and sake. Distillation separates alcohol from fermented products through heating and cooling, producing spirits like whiskey, vodka, rum, gin, and tequila that have higher alcohol content. Common fermented drinks include beer, wine, and sake while popular distilled beverages are whiskey, vodka, rum, gin, and tequila.